Earlier in January, the Nigerian media space was awash with reports of violence between herders and farmers across the country. Lukman Abolade visited some of the communities in Ogun state lacking proper basic infrastructure, their neglect worsened by violence between the Yoruba residents and the herders. With Contribution from Ojurongbe Sodiq.
Distraught and devastated, Ebenezer Akako, a chieftain of Eselu community in Ogun state, stood in front of his burnt house counting his losses; he had not only lost his house, he had previously lost his only son to herders/farmers crisis.
His son, Taye Akako was killed by suspected herders in 2011. Taye’s life was cut short after he was attacked on his way from school; the only son to his father was slaughtered while his remains were left to decompose beside the bushy part of the road. The then 12-year-old Taye’s young body was discovered many days after his death.
“My only son was killed about ten years ago by the same Fulani herdsmen; he was in secondary school when he was killed while returning from school,” Ebenezer said.
Now, Ebenezer’s house has also been razed down by same suspected herders. He sits and wonders what more he would lose to attacks by the herders.
His home has just been turned into clusters of bricks after some men he suspected to be Fulani herders burnt down several buildings in the community.
The pictorial memories of his late son alongside other important credentials are gone.
Initially, after his house was burnt down, Ebenezer fled the community to a neighbouring village in Benin Republic where he sought shelter.
Narrating the attack on the community, Akako said the herders stormed the community bearing guns and machetes.
“It was around 7pm in the evening, we were sitting outside my house, we started hearing gunshots, and we all ran for our dear lives.
“We hid inside the house, but when the gunshot became unbearable, we ran out for our dear lives. The man that was burnt with the building was an old man who could not run very well, so he decided to hide inside my room, ” he told this reporter.
A decade-long crisis wiping out communities
For over two decades, residents in Yewa North local government have been trapped between conflicts with herders and lack of social amenities.
Violence in the agrarian communities of Yewa North has been recurring for many years in Ibeku, Agbon Ojodu, Koole, Eselu, Kodeera, Asaa, Okosho, Moro, Isike, Seeke-Aje, Igbo-Ire, Oguba, Ayedun, Adeshina communities and others.
Many already languishing in the infrastructurally poor Ogun communities became exposed to the brutal violence of conflict.
The residents told this reporter that the Fulani herders had been responsible for raping their wives and daughters, assaulting young men, vandalising properties and killing innocent persons.
Findings by this reporter revealed that the herdsmen and farmers crisis began over trespass on farmlands by the herders which led to destruction of crops and deprived farmers of productivity.
Many residents of the affected communities deserted their homes when the invasion and killings by Fulani herdsmen did not abate.
While some of the residents have left Nigeria for Benin Republic, others have sought shelter at a far distance with a promise never to return to the village where lives are wasted and properties lost to herders crisis.
Tales of herdsmen attack: The invasion, arson, relics of attacks
Following a recent violence that escalated in some of the affected communities, residents narrated their experience.
The communities were quite like a graveyard with little or no activities taking place. All commercial outlets had been closed.
Some of the major markets had become deserted, no activities, no display of goods by traders; shops were locked; tables used for display of wares were turned upside down.
Not only were markets deserted, the few people that did not leave the communities looked abandoned, unfed and unkempt.
Narrating his ordeal, Abidemi Ilo, a 35-year-old man and resident of Agbon Ojodu village, told this reporter that he was attacked by the herders alongside his father.
Abidemi said he was lucky because he lost three of his fingers to the attack, but…